NEED ADVICE...I DONT UNDERSTAND

owensmommy0925

I am 24 years old, 4'11" and weight 121 lbs, I am wanting to lose 10lbs. I recently changed my diet to include vegetables, fruits, and lots of protein. I eat whole grains every now and then. I eliminated all pop, sweets, and fast food. I drink only water. I was doing the advocare products for 24 days without much results. It is too expensive for me to stay on the product; however, I really liked the meal replacement shakes in the morning. Are the OTC Whey Protein Shakes good for weight loss? And is there anything else I could do to increase weight loss. I lost approximately 5lbs in 24 days with the Advocare and diet change. I work nights and have a baby so it is hard for me to find a lot of time to workout or sleep at that. Thanks for any feedback

LoraF83

Protein shakes don't make you lose weight (over the counter or expensive brand). A calorie deficit causes weight loss. All you need to do is eat less than you burn (your TDEE - total daily energy expenditure) and you will lose weight.

And, since you are close to your goal, it will probably take you longer to lose the weight. You should aim for about 0.5lbs a week - that's probably pretty realistic.

GauchoMark

first off, 5 lbs in 24 days for someone your size is a lot of weight!

No matter what anyone else says, weight loss is all about calorie deficits over a period of time (a month or more). Exercise helps. Drinking a protein shake is not going to make you lose weight. It MIGHT help you not lose lean body mass, but that is only if you NEED the extra protein. If you are exercising a lot, the protein also helps repair your body.

My advice to "increase weight loss" is to set a REASONABLE goal, be honest about the calories you are eating and the calories you are burning, and stick to a calorie deficit that will let you achieve your goal. No supplement, program, diet, or whatever else is going to matter as long as you do that.

owensmommy0925

My calorie deficit was really low, and that is why I thought it would be a good thing to do a meal replacement for breakfast. I was only eating around 850 calories before my diet because working nights I sleep all day, and work at night so it is hard to get in a lot of meals. I am forcing myself to eat more calories at this point because I was gaining weight by not eating enough.

GauchoMark

your bmr is somewhere in the neighborhood of 1350 calories. Given your size, I would not eat any less than that and would give it a couple months. If you are active (job or exercise) you might want to eat more. If you need to add quick and easy calories, I like Clif Builder bars. They are 270 calories each and have a good calorie profile (~30g carb/20g protein/8g fat).